Caroline Lyannaz

Counsel, Paris
clyannaz@whitecase.com

Biography

Overview

Caroline Lyannaz is counsel in the Intellectual Property and Information Technology department in Paris. Caroline has extensive experience in intellectual property, e-commerce and new technologies, as well as on commercial contracts and data protection. Caroline advises a broad range of clients, from social networks to industrial companies.

Caroline regularly advises international technology clients in a moving regulatory and innovative landscape and in a fast-paced environment. She represents major tech companies in litigation matters before French courts and regulatory matters before French authorities, on issues involving intermediary liability, consumer protection and private international law.

Caroline assists clients in various multi-jurisdictional transactions, including drafting and negotiating IPR-related and commercial, distribution and supply contracts. She also advises tech companies in the context of IPOs.

Caroline has extensive experience in the field of privacy and data protection especially in litigation and international contexts and has a detailed knowledge of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation. She advises international companies in relation to issues raised by data protection and privacy laws, including intra-group transfers, and use of data in cross-borders litigations and investigations.

Caroline has thorough knowledge of various and major EU and French new regulations, such as the DSA, P2B Regulation and New Deal For Consumers Directives (Omnibus Directive, Digital Content Directive and Sale of Goods Directive) and their national transposition. She also regularly participates in clients' events or publications on these issues.

Caroline was a secondee at Nestlé Waters, as Legal Brand IP, during which she managed NW trademarks' portfolios, reviewed and drafted IP and commercial contracts and implemented projects with operational teams. She was also a secondee at Pernod Ricard Headquarters, as Legal Counsel, advising various teams on commercial contracts relevant to the business.

Caroline joined White & Case in 2012 after several internships in other international law firms.

Bars and Courts
Paris
Education
Post-Graduate Research Degree (Master 2 Recherche), Industrial and Artistic Property
University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne
Master's Degree
Business Law
University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne
Erasmus Exchange Program
University of Liverpool
Languages
English
French

Experience

Intellectual Property
Technology Transactions
Technology

Representative matters include:

  • Representing Meta (Facebook and Instagram) in all pre-litigation and litigation matters arising in France, with a focus on technology-related issues and in relation to the liability of the hosting service provider;
  • Advising tech companies on new regulations, such as the DSA, P2B Regulation, New Deal For Consumers Directives, fake news, etc.;
  • Representing Amazon in trademark as well as advertising law issues in France, notably in the context of SEO and referencing;
  • Representing Twitter in litigation matters arising in France, in relation to content, and advising it on French regulations;
  • Representing Snap, operator of Snapchat, in various pre-litigation and litigation matters arising in France;
  • Advising a video live streaming service on operational legal issues and product compliance considerations;
  • Advising a NFT marketplace on legal issues encountered in France;
  • Advising a commerce platform on issues related to third-party content;
  • Advising Voodoo, a mobile video game publisher, on the protection of its intellectual property rights and personal data protection issues;
  • Advising tech companies (Believe, Aramis Group) on Initial Public Offerings on Euronext Paris;
  • Advising Hg, a specialist private equity investor focused on software and service businesses, on its planned investment in smartTrade Technologies, a global leader in managed services and hosted software for trading desks;
  • Assisting the acquisition of a leading pet care company's manufacturing, distribution and salesforce in France, Italy and Spain by drafting IP assignment, IP licence and distribution agreements;
  • Advising the European listed investment company Eurazeo SA on the negotiation of licence and commercial agreements in relation to the acquisition of certain assets in the confectionery products business;
  • Advising Intuit in relation to the launch of their business in France, in particular drafting and reviewing terms of services, privacy policies and commercial contracts;
  • Representing a leading Turkish manufacturer in a pan-European (Germany, France, Italy) patent litigation;
  • Representing a major French corporation in a trademark infringement and unfair competition action arising out of the termination of established relationships with one of its suppliers;
Publications

Caroline contributed to the drafting of the France chapter of the Chambers 'TMT 2021' Global Practice Guide and White & Case's Handbook on the EU's General Data Protection Regulation.

Caroline also regularly comments on privacy and technology issues:

  • Rejection of Oracle's claims for copyright infringement and condemnation of the practice of aggressive audits
  • Adoption of a new European legal framework applicable to cross-border electronic identification and e-signatures
  • European Commission's Actions to Better Protect and Enforce Intellectual Property Rights
  • CNIL Expanded Investigative Powers
  • E-Commerce: Consider the Enhanced Consumer Protection Clauses
  • Discovery in the US Involving French Companies
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